PESHAWAR, Jan 26: Customs authorities set on fire several heaps of narcotics and other confiscated items to observe the International Customs Day here on Thursday. Customs department did not invite any senior government dignitary on the occasion, and kept the programme at Regi Lilma a low-profile affair. The collector customs and other senior officials of Peshawar Collectorate were there to mark the occasion.

Customs authorities put to fire over 4,391kg of hashish, 2.95kg of heroin, over 2,253kg of opium, 378kg of raw opium, 5,858 sticks of fake cigarettes, 677 packets of expired medicines, 358 bottles of homaeopathic medicines, 19,461kg of seized black tea, 632 pornographic CDs and a large quantity of other goods not fit for human consumption.

Customs authorities also torched several cartons of non-alcoholic beer, commonly available in the open market. But a senior official said that these beer cartons had been stolen from containers meant for American and allied troops in Afghanistan.